How To Start Tomatoes From Seed

To grow tomatoes from seed, beginning indoors:

About 6 weeks before you want to transplant outside, buy tomato seeds of your choice, Sisters Gardens Seed Starter or potting soil, and planting pots. We suggest the larger bio-degradable containers so the plant can be put directly into the ground when ready.

Fill your planter pots with seed starter mix or potting soil and wet them well with warm water.

Put a seed in the pot and cover about 1/4″ with potting soil.

Put the containers with the seeds under direct light- a flourescent light on a shelf works well. The light should be no more than 6 to 8 ” above the containers.

Keep the soil damp and the plants should sprout in about 7 to 10 days.

Keep the plants in the direct light until they are ready to transplant outside.

Transplant after the plant is about 6″ tall and has several sets of leaves.

Remove the first 2 leaves at the bottom of the stem and then place whole plant in the hole.

Put the plant into the soil with the stem covered up to the bottom set of leaves. The tomato will grow roots from the stem and will be stronger.

Water the plant well with liquid organic compost tea. Cover the plant with a gallon plastic jug (with the top and bottom cut off) around the tomato to protect it from the wind and allow it to “harden”. Do not transplant until the soil is warm and the temperature at night is above 50 degrees.